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Victoria Luine, Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor

The effects of chronic stress, alone and in combination with alcohol or drugs, on cognitive function, mood and anxiety are investigated in rats.We have described robust sex differences in both the behavioral effects and the neural changes including neurotransmitter function following stress.We are also interested in developing a sex-based, rat model for depression becausemost episodes of major depression are preceded by stressful life events, associated with elevated levels of cortisol and depression is two-fold higher in females than males.We have recently also measured changes in salivary cortisol and oxytocinfollowing acute stress in normal and clinical populations (depersonalization disorder) in order to understand the possible role of these hormones in contributing to mood and anxiety.